Montana Republicans look to overturn landmark climate decision

CLIMATE: Montana Republican officials urge the state Supreme Court to overturn a lower court’s decision ordering regulators to consider climate impacts when reviewing proposed fossil fuel projects. (Associated Press)

OIL & GAS: 

• New Mexico advocates renew calls for a state official to recuse herself from decisions related to reusing oil and gas wastewater, saying her ties to a petroleum firm are a conflict of interest. (New Mexico Political Report)
• An Alaska borough joins an industry and state lawsuit seeking to revoke Biden administration drilling restrictions on portions of a national petroleum reserve. (Bloomberg Law, subscription)

UTILITIES:

• A California ratepayer advocate predicts Los Angeles’ municipal utility’s transition to 100% clean energy by 2035 could raise customer bills by nearly 8% annually. (Los Angeles Times)
• A Montana county approves a zoning change opening the way for a contested new natural gas plant to come online following intense opposition from advocates and residents. (Daily Montanan)

SOLAR:

• Colorado industry groups and state agencies call on regulators to order Xcel Energy to expedite its plan to connect residential solar arrays to its grid. (Colorado Sun)
• A national laboratory in California finds installing rooftop solar saved the median American household about $691 annually on utility bills when all costs and incentives are considered. (Orange County Register)
• California awards 334 cities and counties nearly $19 million to automate residential solar installation permitting. (Solar Power World)
• An environmental group joins a lawsuit challenging a new California rule blocking solar contractors from installing or maintaining residential battery storage systems. (Common Dreams)

WIND: A developer proposes a 500-600 MW wind power facility on private ranchland in southeastern Wyoming. (Cowboy State Daily)

STORAGE: A central California county advances a proposed 3,000 MW stand-alone battery energy storage system on 260 acres of private land. (Energy Storage News, subscription)

GRID:

• Federal regulators approve a power company’s plan to sell capacity on the proposed RioSol high-voltage transmission line that would run alongside the SunZia line under construction in New Mexico and Arizona. (Utility Dive)
• A judge upholds Tucson, Arizona’s city council’s authority to ban overhead power lines, adding a hurdle to a utility’s proposed midtown transmission project. (Arizona Daily Star)
• Oregon’s largest utility says its grid is standing up to heat-fueled demand, but urges customers to conserve energy during the hottest parts of the day. (OPB)
• A Colorado city advances the municipal utility’s proposed substation following residents’ pushback over impacts to property values and recreation. (Gazette)

MINING: A company prepares to begin producing uranium at its northeastern Wyoming processing plant. (Cowboy State Daily)